At the Library
by Chrys-DASL
Summary: The babies have grown up enough to begin the process to get their own library cards. The problem? They're all at different skill levels. Can they work together to get pass the Library Card Test? How will Dil feel when everyone gets their own cards? One-shot.


**AT THE LIBRARY**

Tommy and Dil ran around Didi as she waited for Betty to get Phil and Lil out of their car seats. Chas was already inside with Chuckie waiting at the entrance to the children's wing, though Kira would be keeping Kimi at home because of a bad ear infection. Though she wouldn't be there, the kids had to remember today was important, and unfortunately little Kimi slipped their minds as they rushed inside.

The group had been looking forward to this particular library trip for a while. After the usual morning's story session, the students who had been in kindergarten for a month would be allowed to take the Library Card Test. To pass the test, you had to be able to find your name on a list of names put together by the librarians, proving that you knew your name and could read well enough to recognize it. Then you had to be able to fill out the library card form all by yourself, which proved you could write and read well enough to fill in the lines.

In their respective kindergarten classes (Phil and Lil in Mrs. Mormon's class, Tommy in Mr. Lincoln's class, and Chuckie in Miss Mayweather's class), each kid was learning how to read. In preschool, Dil was learning the same skills, and while he was excited too, almost too excited to sit through the story, he was eligible yet. The others were, but each struggled in their own area.

Chuckie had a hard time reading, and while he tried to sound out words, he often made the wrong sounds with the wrong letters, causing him to read wrong. Phil had a similar problem, but instead of making the wrong sounds, he would skim over the letters too quickly to really know what they were saying. He and Lil would argue about whatever he came up with, but that was because she was the better reader.

Lil and Tommy could read just fine, and Tommy often practiced by helping his mother read his nightly bedtime story. But like Lil, he had a hard time making his letters properly. Where Lil often wrote backwards for the heck of it, or added letters because she could, Tommy had a hard time making any of the shapes. Unless it was fingerpaint or chalk or fat crayons, Tommy couldn't grasp it yet, which was a problem. All library card forms had to be filled out with a pencil, their pencils. They were short and skinny, and according to Chas, they were called golf pencils.

Where each kid had their problems, their parents had a solution. They'd been helping them, but they knew the kids needed to help themselves. They'd been encouraging this with daily sessions outside with plenty of paper and books for them to use. So far, because the day hadn't come yet, none of them were motivated enough to learn enough to do every part of the Library Card Test.

After the librarian completed a spirited retelling of "Jack and the Beanstalk," the group rushed the counter with the other eligible kindergarteners. It was a 75/25 split on who got to go over to the card desk to get their library card made. Most children still weren't ready. They either couldn't find their name or they couldn't read the form, though many who made it that far couldn't fill in the form legibly enough for the librarian to approve it.

As the gang waited, they all wondered which group they would fall into…and how they would handle it if they didn't get their cards. A lot of kids were having tantrums, LOUD tantrums, but the group agreed they weren't supposed to be loud in the library, even if they were upset.

"I'm just going to go look for a book for Mommy to read me," Lil decided. "There's no use being upset. I'll just get it next time."

"Yeah, I'm with Lil," Phil nodded, siding with his twin.

"Well I think I'd be a little upset, but I don't think I'll get it this time anyway. I just can't read letters very well," Chuckie said, pouting as he noticed the line was getting closer to Tommy, who was in front of all of them.

"Well if we don't make it, we can just try again next week. I think we'll only need a week of practice if we can't do it, if we practice really hard," Tommy smiled, trying to stay cheerful. But as the line moved again, he gulped with fear. He didn't expect to get his card the first shot despite some practice, but could they really catch up in a week?

"Next," the librarian called.

Didi appeared with Dil asleep in her arms. She looked over Tommy's shoulder as he tried to find his name on the list. He pointed to the one he thought was right and Didi nodded.

"Alright, here's the form. Let's see what you can do," the librarian said, passing a form to Tommy and a tiny golf pencil.

Tommy gulped as he gripped the pencil. He looked down to the form and saw it wanted his name. He tried writing a 'T' but it looked more like a cross. The 'O' was easy, but the tiny pencil made it a little pudgy, kind of like a fat tomato instead of a letter. Next were two 'M's' but Tommy thought they looked more like weird birds than letters. His 'Y' was similarly warped, but he had no way to erase and start over.

Tommy looked up to see how he was doing. Didi had an encouraging smile, but when the librarian looked at what he had, he shook his head. Tommy wasn't quite ready on the legibility front, so he took a seat with his mom nearby.

Chuckie was next, and he was shaking as Chas joined him. Chuckie was so nervous he couldn't even attempt to find his name on the list, so he was soon sitting with Tommy, his lip shaking as he tried very hard not to cry.

Next were the twins, and while Phil was instantly out because he couldn't find his name, Lil actually got a form. But like Tommy, her letters weren't quite up to standards. She wanted to say she'd be fine if she only had to do her go-by name, but she knew to stay quiet. She let her mom lead her over to the shelves, where she and Phil grabbed some books for that week's reading.

"Cheer up, guys, we'll try again next week," Chas smiled. The group shrugged, joining the twins in the stacks, except for Dil. He took his place at the end of the line, but the kids were too distracted by the books to notice. As they found titles, Dil got his form after finding his name. He wrote DYLAN PICKLES clearly on the top line. The next line he needed to write his mother's name. He wrote DIANE PICKLES in clear letters. Then he had to write his home address, which he did without asking.

Within a minute, he and Didi were at the card counter getting Dil's card, but Didi asked him to keep it quiet. He agreed, after taking a candy bribe, then he added a few books to the family stack for good measure.

Over the next two weeks, the kids practiced together, each of them using their strengths to help those with weaknesses. It took one final try before all four had their cards, and once they did, they quickly went after Dil for having to wait another year.

When Dil pulled out his card, the group was shocked. How could he, a preschooler, get a card before them? Dil shrugged it off, but when they asked Didi, she told them he had a new preschool teacher that pushed learning one's address, learning to read, and learning to write, all of the standards for getting past the Library Card Test. He was ready, so Didi pushed to get his name on the list, and Dil did not disappoint.

Thankfully there were no hard feelings, and the group continued to better their reading and writing skills together.

~End

Theme 87: Library Trip

A/N: Theme from my Infinite Theme List. It's on my profile if you want to check it out. I'll admit here that I don't know what they make kids do for a card, but I liked the premise. It's short but I think a severe storm is about to hit so I better get off here. Hope you liked it anyway:)


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